Building An Ice Rink At The Big House [VIDEO]

ANN ARBOR (WWJ) – Crews are hard at work in Ann Arbor this week building an ice rink for the Winter Classic at the Big House.

The stadium will host an outdoor game between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs on New Year’s Day.

The work comes as the weather begins to warm up, but NHL spokesman Jamey Horan said that shouldn’t be a problem.

“We have tarps that we put on the ice that reflect the sun, if that’s the case,” Horan told WWJ Newsradio 950’s Sandra McNeil. “You know, it can get upwards of … We’ve had games, you know, in Pittsburg when the temperatures were in the 50s, and we still had ice.”

They will be misting the rink through Sunday, and Horan said the milder weather is more pleasant for the crews.

The Winter Classic game is expected to draw huge numbers.

Horan said more than 106,000 are expected to attend. The Big House seats 109,000.

“We’re hoping to set a record, you know, through Guinness, for the largest hockey audience for any hockey game.